According to Housing All Australians' new state chairperson, Simon Want, the study found Tasmania could generate $700 million in cost savings through more significant investment in affordable housing options, including more public and social housing.

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Mr Want is behind the Devonport Showground housing development and others that offer a mix of affordable housing options.

Give Me Shelter, a study commissioned by not-for-profit HAA projects the $700 m cost saving to the state's budget bottom line would be experienced across three decades in the areas of health, mental health, and domestic violence services, a reduction in anti-social behaviour, and improvements in educational opportunities and business productivity.

Mr Want said the release of the report also comes with a call out to organisations with temporary buildings or buildings set to undergo change to become pop-up shelters like those established in Victoria.

"For pop-up shelters to work, we need buildings that are already suitable and have operated as accommodation like a hotel or motel, student accommodation or something that exists, so it doesn't take much to adapt it," Mr Want said.

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"This is a call out for potential buildings before we do an audit to identify specific locations in the region.

"If there was a suitable motel, student accommodation, or pub building not in use, it could be turned into a pop-up shelter this winter, he said.

"We're calling on businesses to do more in this area and do what's happened at pop-up shelters in Melbourne where businesses donated the property, furniture, and bedding.

"It's about people giving their resources, time, and expertise to make it happen quickly."

The Give Me Shelter study's economic modelling by SGS Economics and Planning showed the accumulated cost to Australian taxpayers would reach $25 billion annually by 2051 if the inadequate investment rate in affordable, social and public housing continued.

The study found the national cost-benefit ratio of investing in more affordable housing was double the cost outlay, and for every $1 invested, the taxpayer would, on average, receive $2 in cost savings.

HAA founder and director Rob Pradolin said the report demonstrated the underlying business case for greater investment in affordable housing and urged businesses to lead a push for a national discussion about how to address the chronic shortage of affordable housing.

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"This isn't just an issue for low-income households. This is also an issue for business in attracting key workers close to where they serve society. It is in everyone's interest to make this a national priority. This will take 30 to 40 years to fix so we need to address the issue now," Mr Pradolin said.

He said there were examples of business having to invest in affordable housing to provide cheap accommodation to attract staff, particularly in regional and coastal areas that have experienced significant population shifts.

"The Australian business community needs to ensure that there is well-located affordable housing for workers, and in doing so, restore hope and confidence in the home-ownership aspirations of our younger generations," he said. "The time for waiting is over."

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HAA said in a release that Monash University Business School Professor and former ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel backed the call for business leaders to be more vocal in the housing crisis conversation.

"The business sector has a long history of engaging with governments to address policy sticking points, most recently during the pandemic. The lack of affordable housing is an issue of equal if not greater significance to the business sector given this is a problem that is only going to get worse without a nationally-coordinated response at the highest levels of government and industry," Professor Samuel said.

The mission of HAA is to harness the ability of the private sector and collaborate to address the chronic shortage of low income affordable housing.

People can register for an interactive public webinar at 12:30 pm on August 22, featuring the report's author discussing the findings.

Go to https://housingallaustralians.org.au/giveme-shelter/ to register and to access the full report.

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